In my continued quest to learn Filemaker the old fashion way (just dive in head first!), I have got stuck again.  

 

I am attempting to make a typical inventory database that consists of recipe ingredients for Dry Rubs.   I have a table and have successfully created the ability to take a receipt and enter the data off the receipt to calculate "inventory in".  Now the twist.  I have created another table to add recipes to the database, using a portal to add related records to each recipe at a given amount for each recipe.   I would like to create a button/link to push "make" recipe and have the ingredients calculated for a given size of recipe and those results be taken out of my inventory.  Eventually I would like to calculate the cost of each ingredient and therefore how much it would cost to make a given rub at a given size.   

 

I will just attach my database and let you professionals look at it.   I am sure there is a way to do this.  I was trying to make a portal in the "prepare_rub" that would use the data from the "rub_recipe" table and make and amount used field for calculation in the ingredient table to make an inventory.    I have reached my limited level of knowledge and can not make it work.  

 

I appreciate your help.

 

 

smokeandbones.zip

I think you need to try and build your file a little more and then ask very specific questions.  There is not a lot built yet in the file, and not a lot of data to work with for people who have no good knowledge of your business.

 

Two thoughts:

 

1)

you'll need a good naming convention for your TOs and the graph in general.  Read up on this: http://www.kevinfrank.com/anchor-buoy.html

It's a model that is very easy to understand and follow.  (But keep in mind that it is not the only model out there)

 

2)

When it comes time to calculate the cost of a rub, make sure to set it up in such a way that if an ingredient changes cost, none of your existing/historic rubs change price.  That way you can see the trend in the overall cost for a rub

The specific question I have is that I want to prepare a rub (with a button).   When I do that I want it to import all the associated ingredients with that rub.  I do not have a problem with changes in price over time, because I have a weighted average of how much each ingredient costs.  I know that is going to change with time, and I do not have a problem with that.   I am more worried about keeping track of inventory then I am price.    Once I import all the associated ingredients, I want to be able to dictate how much rub I am going to make and then be able to calculate the exact quantity of each ingredient to make a "recipe" card.    I am stuck on the part of importing the specific ingredients.  My vision is to be able to select the rub, and the records will be imported based on the recipe.  I then type in how much I am going to make, and press calculate and it commits the record and calculates the amount removed from inventory.  

 

I know I have a long ways to go.  That is as specific as I can get..

I worked through those power points and watched a couple videos on youtube...It was all a relationship problem.  Thank you very much...I just had to get the relationships correct and use a portal to show the ingredients everytime I select a new rub.  

Automatic message

This topic has been moved from "Calculation Engine (Define Fields)" to "Relationships".

Hi Jason:

You can take a look at the file I use for inventory (buying and selling).

I still don't like the way I calculate the inventory, but it works. you can download it at http://fmforums.com/forum/files/file/29-purchasing-inventory-selling-contacts/

 

The file is 100% in Spanish, and can be a bit complicated to use.

 

Have a great weekend

Carlos